italy | sweet pea

f o u r

Eight Years Ago
FP

The Fogarty's were going insane when they found out Kathryn was missing. I sat in my trailer alone as Jughead was with his mom and Jellybean. My home phone rings and so I quickly answer, hoping it's Jughead.

"Hello?" I say, in a panic.

"Is this Uncle FP?" I heard. It was a child's voice. Only one person called me Uncle FP.

"Kathryn? What—" I was cut off.

"Shhh! Don't tell my mommy or daddy! I need your help with something," She says.

Kathryn

After talking to Uncle FP, I put the phone down and walk back to the police officer. The officer, Mr. Smith, said I would stay with Ms. Mollie as a foster mom but it's not until an actual foster family will take me. He was talking to someone else and so I tugged on his shirt to get his attention.

"Yes sweetheart?" He says. I pointed at the teddy bear behind him, implying I wanted the stuffed toy. "You want the bear?" I nodded and he gave me the toy.

"Can I keep?" I say. He hesitated but nodded.

"Yes, you can keep," He says.

Present
Marci

I was pacing back and forth outside the Whyte Worm until my phone rang. Betty was calling me. I hesitated but I picked up the phone and listened in.

"Marci, tell me what FP and Jughead just told me wasn't true," She says.

"They told you!" I say.

"Yes! Meet me at Pop's, they told Archie too!" She says.

"They didn't tell Veronica right?" I say.

"God no, we told them not to tell her," Betty says. "Arch and I will meet you at Pop's okay?"

I got on my motorcycle and drove to Pop's I sat down in a booth and ordered a vanilla milkshake. I was tapping my foot waiting and constantly looking out the window.

Finally, Betty and Archie showed up. They sat down across from me and we were silent until Pops showed up with drinks. Once he left for the kitchen, I looked at the two.

"What am I going to do?" I say. "What if my birth parents find out, what if Sweet Pea finds out, what do I do?"

"Marci, you hid this for so long, why?" Archie says.

"I don't know! I thought it would make life easier for everyone!" I say. "Everything is going wrong! My current foster family is a mess, Fangs died recently, Jughead is in the hospital, and what would happen if people found out?"

"What's the worst that can happen?" Betty asks.

"I don't know, my parents yell at me, Sweet Pea goes insane, Abel doesn't trust me?" I say. "I've made so many phone calls to people to make sure they act as if they don't know me."

Sweet Pea

She's alive, I know it. I walked over to the neighbor's house and knocked. A older woman answered, she had red hair like Cheryl but was greying. Her eyes were pale blue and she had a smile across her face.

"Yes?" She says, sweetly.

"Hi, are you Ms. Mollie?" Abel buds in.

"Yes, I am, can I help you boys?" She says softly. He voice was so calming and unalarming.

"Have you seen this girl?" I say, showing a picture of us together.

"No, I'm sorry boys, who is she exactly?" Ms. Mollie had a face of worry across her face.

"She was my best friend, she ran away eight years ago," I say. "Her brother died recently and he wanted us to find her as his dying wish."

"Oh dear, if I've seen her I would've know. Good luck boys," She says.

We leave and sat at the steps of the church once again. "She has no clue," Abel says.

"She's lying. I bet you that," I say. I stand up but Abel pulled me back down.

"We are not harassing that woman, you already yelled at that cashier, you are not yelling at that sweet lady!" Abel says.

I sat down and looked at the pictures of Kathryn and I. Abel looked over my shoulder and gasped really loud.

"That ring," He says, pointing at Kathryn's necklace. "I feel like I've seen that in Marci's jewelry box!"

"What?" I say.

"Marci must have that ring or a similar one!" Abel says.

Abel

We both get up run back to Riverdale. I called Marci but there was no answer. We passed by Pop's where I saw Marci's motorcycle. "Sweet pea! She's inside here!" I called out. We walked in and Marci was sitting with Betty and Archie. Her head was on the table and she was stressed out.

"Marci!" Sweet Pea stormed over to her. "Do you have this ring!"

He slams the picture on the table and she looks at him as if he's insane. "No! What the hell!" She says.

"Marci, show him your jewelry box," I say.

She takes out a small black box out of her bag and Sweet Pea grabs the box immediately. He searches through and finds nothing. One ring did pop out at me though. It was a rose ring, it stood out to me but I don't know why.

I took out the ring from the box and showed Marci. "Where'd you get this?" I ask.

"My first foster mom gave me that," She says, snatching it out of my fingers. "Why does that matter?"

"It looks familiar, I don't know why," I say.

Sweet Pea got frustrated and went off on Marci.

"You know where she is don't you!" He screams. I try to calm him down but nothing helped. "You stupid Northsiders don't understand! Marcilene knows where she is but she won't say shit!"

"Don't you fucking call me Marcilene!" Marci stood up and looked up at him.

"I can call you what I want!" Sweet Pea retaliated. "You're such a horrible person! I wish you were missing and not Kathryn! You did nothing to help!"

Marci pushed him out the way and went outside. Archie and Betty immediately got up and ran after her.

Betty

Archie and I chased after Marci and ended up at Sweetwater River. She was on the bridge, crying. I ran up to her and gave her a hug.

"Marci-" I say. She pushes me away and backed up.

"You don't get it do you Betty?" Marci says, sniffling.

"Tell us then," Archie says.

"I've been hiding this for years! After what Sweet Pea said, why should I reveal my secret?!" She yells.

A/N
Mannnnnn what's marci's secret???
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